Brush Positioning Apparatus and Method

ABSTRACT

A brush positioning apparatus adapted for utilization with a flexible mascara brush. The present invention permits positioning or repositioning of a flexible brush head to a desired angle while preserving the integrity of the brush&#39;s bristles through limited contact between the brush head bristles and apparatus. This limited contact minimizes deposition of product on the apparatus surface and minimizes bristle deformation while providing a clean and convenient method to position or reposition a flexible brush. A variety of structural mechanisms permit the apparatus to be utilized either as a freestanding instrument, or affixed to a typical mascara bottle that may be integrally formed as a portion of the bottle or retrofitted to existing bottles.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of cosmetics andspecifically to makeup, brushes, and mechanisms to position the end of aflexible brush.

BACKGROUND

Mascara is used to coat eyelashes and make the eyes more pronounced onthe face. Mascara provides accenting on the eyes and can make eyelashesappear darker, longer, and fuller. Mascara, found in a variety ofconsistencies ranging from a liquid to a relatively thick cream, istypically applied to the eyelashes with a brush. Mascara is typicallycontained within a bottle and collected on a brush surface. The brush iscommonly mounted on a rod extending from a container top which isscrewably attachable to the bottle. As the brush is inserted into thecontainer, mascara adheres to the bristles, and mascara product is thentransferred to the eyelashes when the user places the brush in contactwith the eyelashes. The bristles of a typical mascara brush operate toclear away clumps and separate lashes and evenly distribute mascara. Inuse, the hand holding the mascara brush directs the bristles through theeyelashes starting at the root and continuing through the tips. Numerousmascara coats may be applied to the eyelashes if preferred, andvariations of mascara application are known, including limiting mascaraapplication to certain parts of the eyelash, and coating only bottomeyelashes. The application of mascara requires hand stability,dexterity, and precision and also requires the user to maintainstability of her head and face during application. This avoids theunwelcome problem of mascara soiling where product is not appliedexclusively to the eyelashes resulting in product untowardly depositedon the face.

Prior art mascara brushes were rigid and stiff. This stiffness commonlycompels the user to assume an awkward hand and wrist position whenattempting to apply mascara in the desired fashion. Furthermore, arigid-style brush makes right-handed application of mascara onto theleft eye difficult, imprecise, and may lead to mascara smudging.

A flexible cosmetic mascara brush allows the applicator to be bent to adesired angle. An angled brush simplifies mascara application and allowsthe user greater control and convenience. However, an inherent problemexists in the action of bending the brush: in order to bend the brush,the brush must be pressed against a surface in such a way to impart anecessary bending force to position the brush to the desired angle. Thisfrequently leads a user to manually position a brush head, wherein theuser grasps the flexible end of the brush with her fingertips andrepositions it to a desired angle. More commonly, a user wishing toavoid soiling their hands with mascara will reposition the brush byusing a disposable surface (such as facial tissue) to grasp the brush.The user may seek to position the brush indirectly by resting the brushagainst a firm surface and moving the handle to the desired location.All of these methods are problematic in that they remove much of themascara from the brush. This leads the user to waste a substantialamount of product, and results in mascara soiling the user'ssurroundings. Further, disposable make-shift surfaces such as a napkin,facial tissue, and the like, are not always conveniently available, andthe user is forced to position the brush with her fingertips and soilher hands with mascara.

Moreover, in addition to the problems of product waste and soiling,repositioning a mascara brush utilizing the fingers (directly) or a firmsurface (indirectly) unavoidably compresses a substantial number ofindividual bristles leaving those bristles disturbed. This bristlecompression can cause permanent or semipermanent bristle damage ordeformation resulting in suboptimal mascara application. Furthermore,once the mascara brush is bent, and the user completes mascaraapplication, it is desirable to place the brush back into the mascaradispenser. Usually, this insertion is not possible: the repositionedbrush will not fit into the mascara tube. If the user does manage toinsert the brush into the tube in the bent position, this action mayprevent mascara from fully lubricating and coating the bristles evenlybecause mascara is typically located around the inner periphery of themascara bottle.

SUMMARY

The present invention permits the user to position or reposition aflexible brush head, and specifically a mascara brush head, to a desiredangle while preserving the integrity of the brush head bristles andminimizing mascara product waste. The present invention apparatusfacilitates positioning or repositioning of a flexible brush head thoughlimited contact with a brush head to minimize deposition of product onthe apparatus positioning surface and minimize bristle deformation. Avariety of structural mechanisms are disclosed permitting the apparatusto be utilized either as a freestanding instrument or affixed to atypical mascara bottle. Regarding the latter, the apparatus may beintegrally formed as a portion of a typical mascara bottle, or mayretrofitted. Further, an embodiment of the present invention teaches anapparatus which may be manufactured as a freestanding unit that may bereversibly threadably affixed to existing mascara bottles; the apparatusmay be removed from the mascara bottle when the mascara is exhausted,and reattached to a new bottle.

The present invention protects the bristles of the brush and minimizesmascara removal from the surface of the brush. Further still, thepresent invention eliminates the soiling resulting when a user attemptsto straighten the brush by using paper, tissue, or one's hands. Further,the present invention minimizes product waste where mascara is wasted ona paper, tissue, or user's hands. Further still, the present inventioneliminates costly staining of garments, purses, handbags, makeup bags,and the like and eliminates the need to clean up soiled paper andtissue. Further, the apparatus prevents bristle damage that may renderthe remaining product unusable. Further still, the freestandingembodiment of the present invention disclosed herein is small and easyto clean.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an open mascara bottle and brush.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a closed mascara bottle and brush.

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the present invention depicting abrush in contact with the filaments.

FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of the present invention depicting abrush in contact with the filaments.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present inventionillustrating the apparatus partially inserted into an embodiment casing.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present inventionillustrating the apparatus fully inserted into an embodiment casing.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present inventionillustrating the apparatus fully removed from an embodiment casing.

FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present inventiondepicting a cap in place.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present inventiondepicting the cap removed.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present inventiondepicting a brush in contact with the filaments.

FIG. 16 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present inventiondepicting the apparatus removed from a mascara casing.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 19 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the presentinvention depicting a brush in contact with the filaments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PREFERRED AND ALTERNATIVEEMBODIMENTS

Turning now to the illustrations, FIG. 1 depicts a typical mascarabottle 5 in the open position. Bottle 5 has a bottom 10 and a top 15.The top 15 typically has a rod 20 which emanates from top 15 and mountedaxially within. Rod 20 is typically comprised of a relatively taperedneck 25 which is coupled to brush head 30. A plurality of bristles 32comprise a portion of brush head 30. FIG. 2 depicts a typical closedmascara bottle with top 15 threadably coupled to bottom 10.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an apparatus for actuating the terminal aspectof a brush generally 35, comprises a first support member 40, which isaffixed to a plurality of relatively thin filaments 45 affixed to saidfirst support member at a first end and extending perpendicularly fromsaid first support 40. A second support member 50 is affixed to thesecond end of said plurality of filaments 45. FIG. 5 provides aperspective view illustrating the relatively thin nature of theapparatus.

Turning to FIG. 6, each filament 47 is a relatively long and slenderstrand that may be comprised of wire, plastic filament, laminatedstring, fiber, or other material capable of bending the surface of aflexible brush without breaking. Filaments 45 may be of any size andorientation. In one non-limiting example, filaments may be between0.014-0.08 inches in diameter. The invention may be practiced with anyfilament diameter that permits repositioning of brush head 30 withoutthe filaments 45 breaking, and accordingly will depend upon multiplefactors including the chosen filament material, size and force requiredto reposition brush head 30, anticipated individual use characteristics,and other factors.

In use, as illustrated by FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 the first support 40 andsecond support 50 may be held by a user, and a bendably positionablemascara brush, having a brush head coated in mascara, may be placed incontact with filaments 45, said brush head making contact with saidfilaments 45, wherein said brush head may be positioned through manualpressure on brush head 30, and wherein a majority of bristles 32 onbrush head 30 retain adherent mascara product.

In a preferred non-limiting embodiment, illustrated by FIGS. 3-8inclusive, the orientation is a ladder-type pattern with filamentsevenly spaced and perpendicularly disposed to the first support 40 andsecond support 50, although the present invention may be practiced usingfilaments 45 in a variety of orientations including as non-limitingexamples a criss-crossing lattice, curved, diamond shaped, irregularlyshaped patterns. Any filament orientation, composition, and size whichpermits the adjustment of a flexible mascara brush and preventsdeformation of at least some of the bristles may be utilized. Given thediffering nature of mascara viscosities and composition, it isspecifically recognized that a variety of embodiment filaments 45 may bedesirable, useful, and tailored to correspond to the properties ofspecific mascara and individual use characteristics. In one alternativeembodiment, a single filament 55 may be utilized. Additionally, asillustrated by FIG. 12, the first 40 and second 50 members may benonlinear and need not be identical.

Filaments 45 may be affixed to first support member 40 and secondsupport member 50 through a variety of methods. In an alternativeembodiment the entire apparatus 35 may be formed though injectionmolding as a single unit with filaments 45 being formed of plastic.

Referring to FIG. 8, in use, apparatus 35, comprising the first support40, filaments 45, and second support 50, may be grasped by a user andheld in the hand such that the user holds said first 40 and second 50support member between the thumb and index finger. A brush having aflexible head may be placed in contact perpendicularly across filaments45, such that the flexible brush head may be positioned by usingapparatus 35 to exert force against brush head 30 while holding top 15firmly. A brush head may also be positioned by placing head 30 acrossfilaments 45 and exerting manual force on the top 15 of a typicalmascara bottle while holding apparatus 35 firmly. FIGS. 7 and 8illustrate a typical brush head 30 placed over filaments 45 to permitpositioning/repositioning. FIG. 8 illustrates a bottom perspective viewillustrating a typical brush head 30 positioned above said filaments 45permitting a majority of bristles 32 to remain coated with mascaraduring the positioning/repositioning process.

Turning now to FIGS. 9-11 inclusive, in an alternative embodiment,apparatus 35 may be slidably disposed within a storage housing 55 tofurther facilitate ease of use and cleanliness. The proportions ofhousing 55 accommodate apparatus 5 such that when fully inserted, asillustrated by FIG. 10, the outermost surface of said first member 40 orsecond member 50 rest flushly relative to the remaining four surfaces ofsaid housing. Apparatus 35 may be secured within housing 55 through avariety of means including frictional engagement, snap lock, or detentengagement. In a preferred embodiment, apparatus is rested insidehousing 55; when removal is desired, the exerts a small shaking forcewhich will dislodge apparatus 35 from housing 55 whereupon it is fullyseparated from said housing as depicted by FIG. 11.

FIG. 12 illustrates an alternative embodiment wherein said first member40 and second member 50 are arcuately shaped, and the invention may bepracticed using a grasping surface in any variety of shapes and sizes.

Now referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, in an alternative embodiment,filaments 45 are fixed between two projections 60 mounted on the bottom10 of a mascara bottle 5. Projections 60 in one embodiment are orientedsubstantially perpendicular to the long axis of said bottom 10. Inanother embodiment, projections 60 are angled relative to bottom 10.Filaments 45 may be oriented in any direction, and have spacing, andfilament number and width which provides a suitable surface to positionthe end of a flexible brush. FIG. 15 demonstrates thepositioning/repositioning of brush head 30 accomplished by placing head30 across filaments 45 and holding bottom 10 firmly while exerting forceon top 15 or holding top firmly while exerting force on bottom 10.

In FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, another alternative embodiment that incorporatesprojections 60 on or as part of an annular ring 65. Said projections 60may be fastened to ring 65 or formed integrally therewith. In oneembodiment, ring 65 and projections 60 are formed of a singular unit.Ring 65 in one embodiment threadably engages the correspondingthreadable portion of bottom 10 and reversibly fastens thereto. Inanother embodiment, ring 65 slides on bottom 10 and may be held in placethrough a variety of methods including snap fitting, frictionalengagement, or others. FIG. 18 illustrates a top perspective view of theembodiment ring 65 apparatus bearing projections 60, and FIG. 19illustrates ring 65 with a brush head 30 positioned on filaments 45;positioning and repositioning is as described above and may beaccomplished with the ring coupled to bottom 10 or as a free-standingunit in the uncoupled state. In use, filaments 45 permit thepositioning/repositioning of a flexible mascara brush without deformingor damaging the bristles while preserving a substantial quantity ofmascara on the bristles.

In the alternative embodiment illustrated by FIGS. 16 and 17, theannular member, ring 65 may be utilized with existing mascara systemswherein the innermost aspect of annular ring bears threading whichcorresponds to the threading on an existing mascara bottle such thatring 65 is capable of being threadably coupled thereto. Ring 65 may beretrofitted on existing mascara brush casing wherein the user, onpurchasing mascara, may remove the top 15 containing the rod and brushwithin, and threadably couple ring 65 to the mascara case. The user thenscrewably fastens the mascara top 10 with ring 65 remaining in place.Ring 65 may be maintained in place during the useful life of the mascaraproduct. When the mascara is empty, ring 65 is threadaby uncoupled, andthe empty mascara case discarded. Ring 65 may be retained andreinstalled on a new mascara case.

In the above embodiment, the repositioning surface has been described asa plurality of filaments, however, it should be noted that therepositioning surface may be comprised of a variety of materialspermanently or reversibly affixed to mascara bottom 10, or used as afree-standing hand-held device. In one specific embodiment, brush head30 may be reposition through a knob mounted on bottom 10 such that brushhead 30 may be repositioned by placing brush head 30 against arelatively narrow portion of said knob and exerting sufficientrepositioning force. The present invention envisages various alternativestructures permitting repositioning of brush head 30; the presentinvention may be practiced using any structure permiting brush head 30to be positioned while retaining a majority of mascara on the brush,avoiding excessive bristle deformation, and unnecessary loss of mascaraproduct.

Regarding method, the present invention discloses a method forrepositioning a flexible brush. The method includes providing apositioning surface. The positioning surface is defined as any structurewhich permits a brush head 30 containing a plurality of bristles 32 tomake contact with the surface such that a substantial number of thebristles 32 retain adherent mascara product. In one example, such asurface will permit at least a majority of bristles 32 to retainadherent mascara. As disclosed above, such surface may be freestandingor affixed to a mascara bottle. The method involves next providing aflexible brush containing a plurality of deformable brush bristles 32,and thereafter applying mascara to said brush head 30 wherein saidmascara adheres to brush bristles 32. In one embodiment, the flexiblebrush 5 has a cap 15 affixed to an axial rod 20 which is coupled to abrush head 30, the brush head 30 being coupled to rod 20 though aflexible neck 25, and wherein said brush head 30 is bendablypositionable relative to said rod 20 at said neck 25. The flexible brush5 is capable of being positioned, and the brush head 30 contains aplurality of deformable brush bristles 32. The method includes nextplacing a flexible brush head 30, containing a plurality of brushbristles 32, on said repositioning surface wherein when said brush head30 makes contact with said surface, a substantial number of bristles 32retain said adherent mascara. The method next involves exertingsufficient force on said brush head 30 to cause an angular repositioningof said brush head 30 relative to rod 20, and concludes with terminatingapplication of said force when said brush head has reached the desiredangle, and thereafter removing said flexible brush head 30 from saidrepositioning surface and application of mascara to user's eyelashes.The process is repeated to fit the user's needs.

In one embodiment, when the mascara brush is straight and an angledbrush head is desired, the brush head is placed perpendicularly acrossthe positioning apparatus, and the brush head positioned orrepositioned. FIGS. 7, 8, 15, 19, generally illustrate the brush head 30positioned on the present invention such that the bristles 34 locatethemselves around one or more relatively slender filaments 47 positionedacross a first 40 and second member 50 or a pair of projections 60.

Regarding use of the freestanding device, apparatus 35 is held in placeby one hand while the other hand which is holding the handle of themascara brush lifts the hand with mascara brush in such a way to assertpressure onto the mascara brush head causing bending at the locationwhere he mascara brush head meets the mascara brush neck. This cancontinue until desired angle is reached.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to thepreferred embodiments, it should be understood that variousmodifications and variations can be easily made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, theforegoing disclosure should be interpreted as illustrative only and isnot to be interpreted in a limiting sense. It is further intended thatany other embodiments of the present invention that result from anychanges in application or method of use or operation, method ofmanufacture, shape, size, or material which are not specified within thedetailed written description or illustrations contained herein yet areconsidered apparent or obvious to one skilled in the art are within thescope of the present invention.

1. An apparatus for actuating the terminal aspect of a brush,comprising: a first support member; a plurality of relatively thinfilaments affixed to said first support member at a first end andextending perpendicularly from said first support; a second supportmember affixed to a second end of said plurality of filaments; whereinsaid first and second supports may be held by a user, and wherein abendably positionable mascara brush, having a brush head coated inmascara, may be placed in contact with said filaments, said brush headmaking contact with said filaments, wherein said brush head may bepositioned through manual pressure on said brush head, and wherein amajority of bristles on said brush head retain adherent mascara product.2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said filaments arecomprised of wire.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein saidfilaments are comprised of plastic.
 4. The apparatus according to claim1, wherein said projections measure between 0.014-0.08 inches indiameter.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising astorage housing wherein said apparatus may be slidably disposed suchthat when apparatus is fully inserted, the outermost surface of saidsecond member rests flushly relative to the remaining surfaces of saidhousing.
 6. A mascara housing comprising: a top; a bottom housingreversibly fastenable to said top; a pair of projections affixed to saidbottom housing, said pair being substantially perpendicular to the longaxis of said bottom, said projection having two substantially lateralsides, and having a plurality of relatively thin filaments affixedbetween said lateral sides.
 7. An apparatus for actuating the terminalaspect of a brush, comprising: an annular ring, said ring having a pairof projections, and having a plurality of relatively thin filamentsaffixed between said projections, wherein said ring may be reversiblyattached to an existing mascara bottle.
 8. The apparatus according toclaim 7, wherein the innermost aspect of said ring is threaded and maybe threadably engaged with a threaded portion of an existing mascarabottle.
 9. A method for positioning a flexible brush comprising:providing a positioning surface; providing a flexible brush having a capaffixed to an axial rod, said rod coupled to a brush head though a neck,wherein said brush head is bendably positionable relative to said rod bybending at said neck, and wherein said brush head contains a pluralityof deformable brush bristles; applying mascara to said brush headwherein said mascara adheres to said brush bristles; placing a flexiblebrush head, containing a plurality of brush bristles, on saidpositioning surface wherein when said brush head makes contact with saidsurface, a substantial number of bristles retain said adherent mascara;exerting sufficient force on said brush head to cause an angularpositioning of said brush head relative to said rod; terminatingapplication of said force when said brush head has reached the desiredangle; removing said flexible brush head from said positioning surface;applying mascara to user's eyelashes.
 10. The method according to claim9, wherein said positioning surface is comprised of a first supportmember; a plurality of relatively thin projections affixed to said firstsupport member at a first end and extending perpendicularly from saidfirst support; a second support member affixed to a second end of saidplurality of projections; wherein said first support, projections, andsecond support may be grasped by a user and held in the hand by holdingsaid first and second support member, wherein a brush having a flexibledistalmost end may be placed in contact with said positioning surfacesubstantially perpendicularly across said projections, wherein saidflexible end may be positioned through manual pressure exerted on saiddistalmost end.